The Tower of David, or David’s Citadel, stands at the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem, guarding the city’s history and telling its stories in innovative and exciting ways.
The Tower of David Museum is housed in an ancient Citadel, like a castle from a fairy tale, and it is fun to explore its staircases and turrets. The Citadel’s towers provide a 360-degree view of Jerusalem old and new. It is one of our favorite vantage points, as you can see in this video that we made there.
While the Citadel looks old, the story that it tells stretches not just back in time but also forward into the future. While its permanent exhibition explains the origins of the city of Jerusalem, its digital exhibits use the latest virtual reality technology to bring local history to life. Their innovation laboratory is constantly developing new applications of digital technology to create games and apps to engage visitors of all ages. For example, their VR “Step Into History” experience allows you to walk around the city of 2,000 years ago without leaving the Citadel!
By night, the Tower of David is transformed into a giant video screen for their sound and light extravaganza. As you sit in the Citadel courtyard, you can enjoy the story of King David or the history of Jerusalem brought to life with original music and breathtaking giant images projected onto the ancient walls around you. To really enjoy their night performances, we recommend you bring a sweater, because sitting outside in the evening can be refreshingly cool!
The most confusing aspect of the Tower of David is its name. King David didn’t build it – it was built during the medieval era – and it became a landmark on the Jerusalem skyline because of its unusual shape. Its position at the main entrance to the Old City also makes it an excellent first stop on any tour, because it offers a bird’s-eye view and a concise introduction to the complex history of Jerusalem.
Join us now on this virtual tour, and let us know when you would like to visit the Tower of David with Shatour.